General News
9 April, 2026
Mass resignation from Oakey RSL executive
Four members of the volunteer Oakey RSL sub-branch committee announced their resignations yesterday (Wednesday, April 8th) raising questions about the future of one of the district’s most prominent community groups.
In a blow to one of Oakey’s most well-known community organisations, four volunteer members of the executive committee responsible for running the RSL Sub-Branch and local RSL Club have stepped down from their positions, leaving the club without the executive leadership needed to carry out day-to-day operations.
Those who have stepped down include the President, Vice President, Secretary, and a committee member, who were all recently re-elected at a February annual general meeting.
The resignations come at a crucial time for the Club with the general manager currently on sick leave after surgery and not due back for a couple of months.
The acting general manager could not comment.
Their exits, coming within the same short window, have reportedly left staff members concerned for the organisation’s immediate future.
Oakey RSL Club and Sub-Branch has released no formal statement, choosing not to comment on the issue other than to say that the four committee members will be deeply missed.
The four committee members will leave a leadership vacuum to fill at the club.
The departing President had served on the committee since 2019, as Secretary in 2023, and President from 2024 until now.
He had served in the Australian Defence Force for many years and was a Defence contractor before taking up a management role with Qantas as part of the Qantas Pilot Training Academy, covering some 45 years of experience.
The departing Vice President is a life member with over 40 years as a sub-branch member, 18 years as President of Harlaxton RSL, and 4 years on Oakey RSL’s Sub-Branch Committee, including 6 years as Vice President of Western District in Toowoomba.
The departing Secretary has extensive governance experience having worked on local government for 15 years prior to taking on the Secretary role in 2024 until today. She has also dedicated her time as a Department of Veterans Affairs Advocate until recently.
The departing committee member has over 8 years of sub-branch membership in various locations as well as 34 years’ experience in the Royal Australian Navy including Intelligence and Surveillance Systems management roles, as well as training workplace trainers and assessors.
A date to replace the departing sub-branch and club leaders has not yet been set.
